154. Don Quixote Part 1 Graphic Novel

Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote Part 1 by Lloyd S. Wagner. Illustrated by Richard Kohlrus (Canada) - (US)
Campfire Classics

Pages: 72
Ages: 12+
Finished: Jul. 14, 2011
First Published: Apr. 26, 2011
Publisher: Campfire
Genre: graphic novel, children, YA, classic
Rating: 5/5


First sentence:

In a certain village in La Mancha, there lived one of those old-fashioned gentlemen who are never without a lance on a rack, an old shield, a lean horse, and a greyhound.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Steerforth Press.

Reason for Reading:  I am quickly becoming a fan of this publisher, and I love well-done graphic retellings of classics.

I have never read the original Don Quixote, though I intend to one day.  I have, however, read a very old children's retelling from the late 1880s by, I believe, Alfred J. Church.  The story I read here in the graphic novel was identical to the one I had previously read before.  From these adaptations I presume I am just missing some of the more bawdy aspects of the story, which are certainly hinted at in this adaptation.  A wonderful, funny story that would make a fantastic introduction to the story of Don Quixote.  As seems the pattern with Campfire's Classic series the book starts with a brief biography of Cervantes then gives us a main character's page before staring in with the story.  The illustration is very nicely done showing us the 1500s way of life and when Quixote, in his madness, imagines he is in the grand old days of chivalry, there is a wavy line and a lightening in the colour to show us Quixote's distorted view of the same scenes as he imagines "common" women as ladies and windmills as giants.  I really enjoyed this one!  Am also looking forward to my next Campfire graphic read.